gthomson

Can anyone recommend a decent trainer app. I can connect to with my smart trainer to record power, distance, time, RPM etc.. but not needing to connect to GPS since I'm on an indoor trainer? I'm just trying to find something to record a ride and upload to Strava until I get my semi broken trainer sorted out and would like it to be free.

I've tried IP Bike but that interface is brutal and I can't seem to figure out how to upload to Strava even though it has the option. I just want to continue riding the trainer and adding KM's to Strava to try and match a goal for my yearly distance. Year end is coming up soon and the timing of my trainer dying sucks.

atwl77

Do you have a bike computer or a fitness watch? Something like a Garmin Edge, or Forerunner, or Fenix should be able to do that.

gthomson

I don't. My set up is pretty simple, when riding on the road I just record my ride using Strava and then indoors I rely on my trainer and Zwift to record my ride but the trainer is having problems and won't apply any resistance but it is recording power and cadence (sorteve) so I could use it to send info. to my phone through ANT or blue tooth.

surak

Wahoo Fitness app.

spelger

ill second the whaoo app. free and simple.

Riveting

I'm not sure about their current pay vs free plans since I haven't used it in a several years, but I think I recall BKOOL used to have free version. I have the BKOOL Pro trainer and used their stuff for a few years, pretty nice if you don't care about the social aspect, or if you want to load in your own course .gpx file and have their software simulate the entire route, but that might be a pay for feature.

gthomson

Can I run the Wahoo fitness app without a Wahoo trainer? Riveting - I did look into the BKOOL app. but it's now a paid subscription service to use with the hardware like many of the other tools. Even the Elite tool that I could use with my trainer is a paid subscription

Why would I pay $xx/month just to look at numbers when I could get similar data and ride Zwift or Rouvy or something way more interesting?

spelger

if your trainer follows the ANT+ FE-C protocol then i would say yes. most smart trainers do. if you are pairing over Bluetooth then i am not completely sure since i do not know that protocol. teh app is free, i'd just download it and give it a go. the worst that can happen is that it won't work.

gthomson

Thank you Spelger, I should be good to go then with that app as my trainer does transmit using ANT or Bluetooth, but the motor or chip that applies the resistance to gradients in Zwift is busted, so it's kindeve a smart trainer ha ha.

Just want to ride and record data for now until I figure out what my next options are on a replacement. If this was the Spring I wouldn't care much knowing I have about 4-5 months of riding outside but alas, it's winter and my options are limited to being inside, so I got to find something.

clasher

RGT has a free version, usually just a couple of routes/courses but it's a bit like zwift though more focused on realistic simulation. I believe they have a trial you can sign up for to use all the features of the program.

I've been using fulgaz, it's like rouvy in that it's got video but I've found the videos to be almost all high-quality, and all shot from bicycles. I guess if you don't have a fully working smart trainer you can just watch the videos in "steady" mode and crank out some watts independent of the simulated terrain of whatever app you're using.

gthomson

Does Fulgaz simulate elevation and then apply it to your trainer or are you just pedaling along regardless of climbing or descending? because that's the part of my trainer that's broken but if I didn't need it in Fulgaz I might give it a look. I really like Zwift but I don't want to ride it because my numbers are totally wonky. I got up to 800 watts my last ride and i was barely trying so it's totally messed up with the busted trainer.

Jose R

In all these applications, (Rouvy, Fulgaz, Zwift, Garmin Tacx) there is a difficulty setting which you can set to zero percent. This will allow you to ride the route without having the app simulate slope grade.

"Steady mode" in Fulgaz implies riding the course indifferent to your output in relation to the speed of the rider that filmed course. Meaning, if the course is 1hr long, your ride will end after that hour. In "Reactive mode" your power output will slow or speed up the filmed course, so your workout will last more than the 1 hour, if you are slower, or less than the 1 hour, if you are faster.

mcr23

I've only briefly tested these three, but they are all usable within the web browser on your phone or PC, and all free.

https://github.com/dvmarinoff/Flux
https://github.com/chadj/gpedal
https://github.com/OlliV/bfree

I use a Tacx Neo, and tested them on my Windows PC and Android phone.